Next-Gen Lotus Esprit Confirmed

  • Thread starter Thread starter YSSMAN
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EDIT: Nevermind, didn't see your last post edit.
 
YSSMAN
^ I'd be more than happy with the Chevrolet V8 out back. That way, you know its outrageously reliable, and quite easy to modify should it ever be needed.
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It's also the lightest option out of all the V8's mentioned here. If it's to be a V8 at all, it would either be the LS2/6/7 or something like the Caparo's 2.4L V8. It's Lotus; think light.
 
LS7 Esprit would be a monster. 500 horsepower straight out of the crate, and IF they do a turbo one, that would be like 550+ which would run with (and possibly beat) any cars. And if it has AFM, it'd be the coolest car ever (next to the Z06 of course lol).


But..... would it come stateside? I know Lotus sells in the US now, cause there's a maroon-ish Elise not too far from me... but will they bring this?
 
Does Cosworth still make applicable V8s?
 
What about Lotus stuffing the 5.6L Nissan V8 under the hood of the next Esprit and maybe adding a turbo on it--or use the smaller 4.5L V8 and drop in the twin turbo setup. Nissan V8s > Toyota V8s
 
...Or they could twin-turbocharge the GM Vortec 4200 I6, good for about 400 BHP, and that would certainly make things interesting.

But, I digress, I'd rather have a V8 if at all possible...
 
YSSMAN
...Or they could twin-turbocharge the GM Vortec 4200 I6, good for about 400 BHP, and that would certainly make things interesting.

But, I digress, I'd rather have a V8 if at all possible...
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I think a V8 is a must. Unless it was a huge V6, but I can't see that happening. If they didn't go with the V8 they would suffer abit of an image problem IMO, and possibly a power problem aswell.
 
YSSMAN
...Or they could twin-turbocharge the GM Vortec 4200 I6, good for about 400 BHP, and that would certainly make things interesting.
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The same reason that they wouldn't use a Toyota V8: Designed for slushbox. And they wouldn't let the Esprit stop anywheres less than 500 BHP.
 
I belive you could bolt the Tremec T-56 to the 4200, I seem to recall seeing it done before... Maybe not... I can't remember.

Anyway, its a suggestion, but I'd much rather see a V8.

And then an idea hit me. If Lotus would pair up with GM but still wanted to do a forced-induction V8, they do have the Vortec 4800 V8 on the shelf. That would be pretty easy to get north of 400 BHP with a turbocharger or a supercharger, and that can be bolted to a manual transmission as well...
 
I'm sure they'd try to go for the lightest engine possible, which would mean the LS7. And I can't see Lotus using the LS7.
 
It would have been nice to see a RS6 powered esprit like the gumperts, but seeing as thats not gonna happen anymore id say it will either be BMW or cosworth powered.
 
Toronado
I'm sure they'd try to go for the lightest engine possible, which would mean the LS7. And I can't see Lotus using the LS7.
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Lightest engine possible would probably be Radical's SR8... However, it might not meet emissions. Emphasis on not.
 
ExigeExcel
Lightest engine possible would probably be Radical's SR8... However, it might not meet emissions. Emphasis on not.
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Nor is it really the former Esprit's type of engine. The Radical V8 would be a good fit for the Elise (if it fit), but there's not enough torque to get a larger sports car like the Esprit moving well enough. But it's a cool engine, anyway.
 
You know, at this point as long as they make it look good and DO build it I don't care if it has a quintuple turbocharged 3 cylinder.
 
harrytuttle
Nor is it really the former Esprit's type of engine. The Radical V8 would be a good fit for the Elise (if it fit), but there's not enough torque to get a larger sports car like the Esprit moving well enough. But it's a cool engine, anyway.
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Perhaps a supercharger to boost the low end power could help :D But yes, it's doubtful.
 
An interesting point is that Lotus has just as close a connection to Vauxhall (the VX220 and Europa), and therefore GM, as they do Toyota. I won't pretend to know a lot about the General's V8's, but how far could someone realistically debore or destroke them to get them to a smaller displacement? Because a 4.0-4.5L V8 based off the LS2 with twin-turbos thrown at it sounds mighty interesting. Though I too agree that while there's nothing at all wrong with a GM V8, it just doesn't seem to suit an Esprit.

Also, Toyota *does* have a V8 (or at least used to) in their JGTC/SuperGT entries, so they do know how to make a high-performing V8. Maybe some of the knowledge from those (as well as the upcoming Lexus supercar, which has yet to confirm whether it's V8 or V10) could be used in a Lotus application? Maybe chop two cylinders off the ten and replace them with two turbos? I wouldn't rule Toyota out based on their current lineup.
 
Lotuis doesn't have that close a relationship to GM, GM hired Lotus to build the VX220 which was based on the Elise, that's no big deal. Ofcourse Lotus had done the Lotus Carlton in the past, but again, that was just carrying on a tradition of Lotus producing super saloons based on a good saloon from another manufacturer. What they have with Toyota is a far more involved relationship business wise.
 
SlipZtrEm
An interesting point is that Lotus has just as close a connection to Vauxhall (the VX220 and Europa), and therefore GM, as they do Toyota.
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live4speed, he meant Vauxhalls affiliation with Lotus regarding the powerplant of the Europa S. GM did used to own a portion of Lotus, but those days have long set.

Toyota currently provides Elise powerplant, which would make them on-par business-wise with GM.

As Lotus currently stands, I doubt they have any problem with finding a business partner to source a motor. Their problem is finding the ideal motor to do the job, both on road and off (corporate, service, availability). For instance, and early rumor with this motor was an Audi unit, but I had heard that they had changing their policies with out-sourcing, so that deal fell through. Other companies are also eyeing the BMW V8 of thge outgone M5 and X5, so it would be in BMW's interest to keep producing the motor.

My money is still on the Germans.
 
Ah, I didn't know it was a Vauxhall engine in the Europa, well that certainly evens them out a bit. But yeah they won't have a problem finding a V8, they likely won't use Toyota I'm still thinking German at the moment too, with BMW being most likely imo.
 
SlipZtrEm
I won't pretend to know a lot about the General's V8's, but how far could someone realistically debore or destroke them to get them to a smaller displacement? Because a 4.0-4.5L V8 based off the LS2 with twin-turbos thrown at it sounds mighty interesting.
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The last time I herd about a GM engine downsized for performance was a one-off variant of an LS1 that displaced 5.0L, or about 302 cubic inches. It was done for a special edition Camaro Z/28 show car to comemorate the origional 302-powered Z/28s of the late 1960's. The engine had a few more ponies compared to the 5.7L (350ci, actually 346ci), but it was down on toruqe. It was an engine that would have been better suited to road racing than the regular drag-racing that the Camaro so often competes in, but sadly the engine was a one-off design.

Shortly after it was built, the Camaro was killed, and I presume the engine builder (based out of Atlanta if I remember correct) was forced to destroy the blueprints of the engine as well. Sad really, as it would have been an awesome engine in the upcomming Zeta cars.

...That said, we've still got the 303 BHP LS4 (5.3L, 327ci) which is a spin-off of the LS2 and Vortec 5300, as well as the lower-rung Vortec 4800 that puts down about 290 BHP.

Chances are, if they were to pick up a GM V8, it would either be the cheap and readily available LS2, or the new L79 (based off of the LS2) that puts down 367 BHP and features Active Fuel Management as well as E85 capability.
 
Autocar mag in the uk has recently posted pics of the Esprit test mule and confirmed that it will use the BMW V8. I'll try and find a link.
 
Actually i can't remember which uk mag it was now, i rarely buy Autocar, Auto Express, Car or TopGear but will flick through them in Smiths or Sainsburys. It might be in this months Car, one of those little snippits they have in the first few pages of 'news'.
 
I've seen it as well. The short article does not at all say whether it was confirmed by Lotus or any person. It could be speculation.

The car pictured was that late-generation Esprit skin, with notably larger features, like shoulders and unsorted wheels. It's like in Men In Black, when the aliens took human form, they didn't quite fit their skin.

If you run the plates off of that test car, it brings up a February 10 2006 registration on a grey Lotus Esprit, no other information.
 
The British sports car maker Lotus - owned by Malaysia 's Proton - is developing a new mid-engined Lotus Esprit, due for launch in 2007.



These photos show a first mule in high-speed testing at the Nürburgring. It has wider fenders and a big rear wing than the current car. More important is what will be underneath: the next Esprit gets a 32-valve, 4.8-liter V-8 engine from BMW delivering 367 hp. The engine will be surrounded by a newly developed extruded aluminum chassis and an all-around independent suspension. The supercar's top speed is estimated at around 180 mph.


U.S. sales for this new Esprit have priority; Lotus will build between 1000 and 2000 units in the company's home base in Hethel in Great Britain.


i.lotus.2008.rendition.06may.jpg
 

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